Mr William THOMAS MS FRCS
Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director of Surgery
The Gideons International
- I have been a member of The Gideons International (TGI) since 1972. They have the simple objective of bringing men, women and young people into a living relationship with God by reaching out into the world with the Bible, which I believe to be the Inspired, Infallible and Inerrant Word of God. Currently TGI are able to distribute over 90 million copies of the Scriptures annually in 200 countries and in over 100 different languages. The Gideon Bible App, which is freely down-loadable, also contains the Bible in over 1000 languages, and the scriptures can either be read or heard in all these languages.
- I have served in the Gideon ministry in my own camp/branch in all the offices at one time or another and currently am a member of the Sheffield Branch in the UK.
- Nationally I have served as – Zone Trustee 1981- 1984, National Chaplain 1985-1986, National Vice President 1993-1996 and National President (on three terms) 1986-1989, 1996-1999 and 2020-2023. I am currently serving as National President again in the UK. The Gideons in the UK have now rebranded since opening membership to all Christians, regardless of gender and occupation, who have a passion to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, through the distribution of God’s Word, the Bible and through personal witness. We are currently known as ‘Good News for Everyone’.
- Internationally I have served the Gideons as – International Trustee 2000-2006, International Treasurer 2007-2010, International Vice President 2010-2013 and International President 2013-2016.
- I have also served internationally on Scripture Blitzes to Singapore, Indonesia, Honduras, Zambia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Malaysia, Thailand and Serbia. I have fulfilled assignments to Finland, Republic of China, India, Sweden, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Germany, Japan, Brazil, the Philippines, South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, as well as the USA and the UK. Latterly I have served in partnership with ShareWord Global, formerly the Gideons in Canada, on GO Missions in India, Sri Lanka, Chile and Nicaragua. As ‘Good News for Everyone’ we are now extending the ministry to Serbia, Macedonia and other parts of Eastern Europe.